Automotor-torpedo.



No. 807,195. PATENTED DEG. 12, 1905. H. A. NOALHAT & G. FOURNIER.

AUTOMOTOR TORPBDO.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY PATENTED DEG. l2, 1905.

A H. A. NOALHAT @L G. FOURNIER.

AUTOMOTORTORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

4 n #ai w i FQ UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE. j

HENRI ALPHONSE NOALHAT AND GEORGES FOURNIER, OF PARIS, FRANCE AUTOMOTOR-TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed May 5,1905. Serial No. 259,054.

provements in Automotor-Torpedoes, whichimprovements are fully set forth in the following specification. y

-This invention has for its 'object an automotor-torpedo in which the motor mechanism is broadly constituted by two, three, or more y-wheels arranged in such amanner that at the beginning of the trajectory of the torpedo one only of these fly-wheels exerts a drivingy effort, the second exerting such action in conjunction with the Erst as soon as the velocity of this first ily-Wheel slackens in a certain proportion and the third likewise exerting a driving effort in conjunction with the first two when the velocity of these latter also diminishes to a predetermined extent. The driving efectof these fly-wheels upon lthe torpedo may be increased by the motor effect of a turbine suitably connected therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section through the torpedomotor mechanism comprising three iy-wheels. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through one of' the iy-wheels. Figs. 3 and 4 represent, upon a larger scale, mechanism for driving the motor-shaft by one of the {lvl-wheels.

The fly-wheels A A' A2 are turned from three bars of steel of high quality and perfectly homogeneous in such a manner that their center ofgravity exactly coincides with the axis of rotation, which is at their center. They are adjusted and supported at the eX- tremities of their axis by the ball-bearings a a' a2, the fixed cups of which are screwthreaded and locked in the brackets b b b, Fig. l, which are themselves adjusted around and fixed upon the sole-plates of the brackets E E E2. Upon each of the iiy-wheels there are centered and bolted pairs of bevel-pinions B B, B B', B2 B2, meshing with thebevel-pinions C C C2, mounted upon pairs ofl shafts each lettered D- D D2, parallel with the axis of the torpedo and at the extremities of which are situated the spur driving-pinions C C2 of the speed-reducing gear of tige propellershafts. The gear ratios ,2 are differc l ent in such manner that is greater than 2 which is itself greater than g2.

The pairs of shafts D D D2 being similar, it is only necessary to describe one of them. It is composed of three lengths, each terminating in plates F F F2. The front length is connected with the middle length by the Oldhan joint g', and the middle length is connected With'the rear length by the Oldhan joint g2. The centering and the rotation of the shafts and ofthe pinions O are effected by means of ball-bearings d e, the xed cups of which are themselves centered inthe brackets E E E2. These latter are solid with the shell of the torpedo, as, indicated in Fig. 1.

In each of the gear-wheels O C' O2 areixed, by means ofbolts Fig. 4, the steel crowns H H' H2, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and upon the turned periphery of these crowns are cut grooves z', intended for the reception of a ball of cemented steel 7' and a spring k. This is the form of.clutch universally known as a free-wheel clutch. This deviceI may of course be replaced by any other form ofl B2. For the sake of clearnes's let us assume that the ratiosj 12 equal to 1.8, and the ratio i, equal to 2.5.

than

is equal to 1, the ratio Cl On starting we shall have the velocities- Crown H 12,000 revolutions. Crown H1 $309 revolutions 6,666 revolutions. Crown H2 120;() revolutions 4,800 revolutions.

In these conditions, on starting, the fly-wheel A will alone exert a motor action and the others will be loose relatively to the shaft D D D2, and this will continue until the velocity of the fly-wheel A has fallen to six thousand six hundredand sixty-six revolutions' per minute. From this moment the two ily-wheels A A will work together,`so that the velocity curve will Vfall less rapidly. The attack of the second fly-wheel will take place without shock, with the sweetness of two equal gears, the velocity curves of which endeavor to mingle or coincide in inclining gently to a common tangent. Then the energy of these two fly-wheels is decreasing, the shaft D D D2 will gradually attain thevvelocity of four thousand eight hundred revolutions per minute, -this velocity corresponding with that of the third crown, and the three iy-wheels will then cooperate in the propulsion of the torpedo.

This motor mechanism presents the advantage of furnishing an almost constant velocity for a great part of its travel, largely increasing the radius of action of the torpedo by insuring for it a trajectory which is almost rectilinear, owing to the powerful gyroscopic effect of the three fly-wheels.

lt is obvious that the turbine may be combined with any one of the torpedo fly-wheels. It should likewise be understood that each of the fly-wheels may be combined with a turbine. rlheopening of the motor-ii uid reservoirs serving to actuate the turbine or turbines may be effected automatically by any appropriate means at any desired point in the trajectory of the torpedo.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed.,l we declare that what we claim isl. The combination with an automotor-torpedo, of a plurality of fry-wheels adapted to receive rapid rotation at the moment at which the torpedo is started, the propeller-shafts composed of several sections or lengths which in number correspond with that of the flywheels and which are connected with each other by suitable joints, said joints enabling ssv shaft, the ratio of the set of gear-wheels of the first fly-wheel being greater than that ot' the set of gears of the second fly-wheel, the ratio of the set of gears of the latter being again greater than that of the s'et of gears of the third {iy-wheel, aclutch-coupling between the set of gears of'each fly-wheel and the corresponding section or length of the propellershaft to permit transmission of movement from each of the liy-wheels to the corresponding section or length of the propeller-shaft at a desired moment, substantially and for the purpose as specified.

2. Thecombination with an automotor-torpedo, of a plurality of tlv-wheels adapted to receive rapid rotation at the moment at which the torpedo is started, the propeller-shafts composed of several sections or lengths which in number correspond with that of the iiywheels and which are connected with each other by suitable joints, said joints enabling the first section or length to drive the second, the latter to drive the third section or length, bevel gear-wheels keyed upon the shaft of each y-wheel and bevel gear-wheel mounted upon each section or length of the propellershafts and meshing with the bevel gear-wheel of the corresponding fly-wheel,- the ratio of the intermeshing gear-wheels of the iirstflywheel being greater than that of the intermeshing gear-wheels of the second, and the ratio of the intermeshing gear-wheels of the latter being greater than that of the third iiywheel, a clutch-coupling between cach bevel gear-wheel of the propeller-shafts and the corresponding section or length of the latter for the transmission of movement from each of the fly-wheels to the corresponding sections or lengths of the driving-shafts, substantially and for the purpose as specified'.

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